Bid made in the following conditions:- 1st bid made at the table.- In minor suits, i.e. Diamonds or Clubs.- In the longest suit (in which you hold the highest number of cards) among the two minors.If the minors are of equal length, you bid 1 Club with 3 cards in Clubs and 3 cards in Diamonds. Otherwise, you bid 1 Diamond.

When a suit cannot be fully run between declarer and dummy because of card rank.Example: dummy holds Ace and Queen. Declarer holds King, 3 and 2. You cannot directly take 3 tricks in that suit. The suit is said to be blocked.

Bonus, Bonus points

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When you make a contract, in addition to the points you score for won tricks, you can also score bonus points. 50 points are awarded for a part-score, 300 or 500 points for a game, 800 or 1,250 points for a small slam, 1,300 or 2,000 points for a grand slam.

The action of following with a card of another suit than the requested one when you have no cards left in that suit.

Distribution points

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These are points added to high card points when a fit other than no-trump is known to be held between the two players in a pair. It is then considered that a void is worth 3 points, a singleton 2 points, a doubleton 1 point, the 9th trump 2 points and each trump from the 10th onwards is worth 1 point. Of course, if you have a fit with your partner but you only have 1 trump for example, it will be difficult for you to ruff and, as a result, taking distribution points for your short suits into account is not appropriate.

Also "to hold off". Technique consisting of keeping hold of a control in order to break communications between the two players of the opposing pair.

Dummy

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Declarer's partner. "Dummy" also refers to the cards of declarer's partner, which are laid on the table once the opening lead has been played.

Entry

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When you play in defence, it is a card which will allow you to regain the lead later. A well-positioned King or an Ace are typical entries.

Establish, Establishment

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Playing several rounds of a suit to draw out the opponents' cards so that you can take length tricks in that suit, or playing an honour to draw out a higher honour before taking one or several tricks in the suit.

Finesse

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Technique consisting of playing a suit hoping for a specific positioning of opponents' cards, allowing you to take one or several extra tricks. This technique is never certain but can allow you to win a trick that you would never have won if you had not tried it.

Fit, Have a fit

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Having at least eight cards of a suit between both hands of a pair. The two players are said to have a fit.

Fit-bid

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Bid in a suit implicitly confirming the fit in one of partner's suits.

When three different suits have been bid on the first three bids made by the same side, a bid in the fourth suit is artificial. It asks opener to give more details about his hand. Fourth-suit forcing requires at least 11 HCP.

Gambling

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Called Gambling 3NT. This bid shows a solid 7-card minor with no outside Ace or King.

Game, Games

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To score a game at bridge, you need to take a certain number of tricks, depending on the suit in which the contract is played.In notrump: from the 3 level (i.e. at least 9 tricks).In a major suit: from the 4 level (i.e. at least 10 tricks).In a minor suit: from the 5 level (i.e. at least 11 tricks).

Hand, Hands

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The 13 cards initially dealt to a player.

High-card points

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This method of hand evaluation dates from the pre-war period and was invented by the Englishman Milton Work. It allows a player to determine a certain number of points for his hand. 4 points for the Ace, 3 points for the King, 2 points for the Queen and 1 point for the Jack. There are 10 high card points per suit and therefore 40 points per deck.

Hold off

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Also "to duck". Technique consisting of keeping a control in order to break communications between the two players in the opposing pair.

This is a type of tournament in which the results of a pair are compared to all results of the pairs playing on the same side (North-South or East-West) at the table. MP (Matchpoint) ranking is used in such tournaments.

Part-score, Part-scores

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All contracts inferior to game or slam, i.e. all contracts from 1C to 4D, except 3NT.

Partner

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Player with whom you play against the other two players.

Pre-empt

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Jump bid showing a long suit and few defensive tricks. As well as giving precise information to partner, it aims to prevent the opponents from finding their best contract.

A signalling system consisting of showing an even number of cards by first playing a card higher than the next one (6, then 2 with 6 and 2 or with Jack, 7, 6 and 2 e.g.) or showing an odd number of cards by first playing the lowest card (2, then 6 with 8, 6 and 2 or with Jack, 8, 7, 6 and 2). These signals only apply to cases in which you have no interest in playing a high card at the trick in progress.

When you play in defence and you gain the lead, it consists of not returning the suit led by partner.

Teams-of-four match

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A type of tournament in which two teams of four players play one against one another. The North-South pair of table A is associated with the East-West pair of table B, whereas the deals are identical at both tables. The way score is calculated is different from a pairs tournament.

Tenace

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To hold two out of three consecutive cards in a suit, the one missing being the middle one. Example: holding Ace and Queen without the King, or King and Jack without the Queen.

It means not bidding, doubling or redoubling when it is your turn during the auction and therefore "passing" with the "Pass" bid.

Top of nothing

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[Mainly in France] Refers to a lead from a bad suit (without honours) when you play in a no-trumpcontract. With 2 or 3 cards, you lead the highest one. With 4 cards or more, you lead the second highest one.

Trick points

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All points scored by declarer's side to make the contract. They depend on the contract's trumpsuit. Clubs or Diamonds: 20 points per trick taken above six. Hearts or Spades: 30 points per trick taken above six. No-trumps: 40 points for the first trick, then 30 points for the following tricks. Bonus points have to be added to these points.

Trick, Tricks

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A trick is made up of 4 played cards, one from each player at the table. The tricks taken by a pair allow the result of the contract to be determined at the end of the deal.

The way bonus points or penalty points for setting tricks are awarded. When you are vulnerable, setting-trick penalties are higher but game and slam bonuses are higher too. Historically, in rubber bridge, a rubber was made of two winning games. It was then said that the side having already scored one game was vulnerable, while the side having not scored a game was not vulnerable. Vulnerability affects game and slam bonuses as well as the value of the setting tricks, whether they are undoubled, doubled or redoubled. In tournaments, each deal is independent. To recreate the conditions of a rubber, both sides are given a shadow vulnerability on each deal.